THOMAS DUFFY has been named VP/Finance and Royalty
Administration for MLB Properties. Duffy had served as
Controller for MLBP. Duffy will be responsible for all financial
operations of MLBP (MLBP)....Former Eskimos kicker DAVE CUTLER
has been hired by the B.C. Lions as a marketing consultant
(Vancouver PROVINCE, 4/4)....Former Bulls coach DOUG COLLINS said
he is not interested in becoming Warriors VP of Basketball Ops
(SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 4/5)....DR. JOHN SMYTH has been named Dir
of the USOC's Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Smyth
has served as interim Director since July 1 (USOC)....LARRY
ELDRIDGE, former editor of the Christian Science Monitor, has
taken over as sports editor of the Interchange Online, AT&T's
soon-to-be launched computer service (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/4).

The UCLA MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM were guests on the "Tonight
Show" with Jay Leno. Jay Leno: "Did you see ED O'BANNON last
night? At one time he had five guys on him. Five guys hanging
all over him! I don't know why they let those agents in the
locker room after the game." UCLA Coach JIM HARRICK came out
with the NCAA Trophy, which he reluctantly handed over to Leno.
Harrick: "I remember what you said last year. ... You dogged us
just a little bit. But I am going to forgive you" ("Tonight
Show," NBC, 4/4).
UConn's basketball standout REBECCA LOBO was a guest on "Late
Show" with David Letterman. Lobo said she wants to be a sports
broadcaster (CBS, 4/4)....Astros Manager TERRY COLLINS and Tigers
Manager SPARKY ANDERSON appeared on "Good Morning America" (ABC,
4/5). Dodgers Manager TOMMY LASORDA appeared on "CBS This
Morning" (CBS, 4/5)....Heat Owner MICKY ARISON remained
hospitalized after heart surgery in London for a partially
blocked artery (Mult., 4/5).... NewSport's Question of the Day
found 63% believing NOLAN RICHARDSON will head to the Grizzlies
(NewSport).
LETTERMAN'S TOP TEN WAYS THE METS CAN IMPROVE THIS YEAR:
10) Don't just suck -- suck 110%; 9) Require players to bet on
games so they care about outcome; 8) Instead of baseball hats --
Donahue wigs; 7) No beers till the seventh inning; 6) A little
less "polishing the bat," if you know what I mean; 5) Wait at
least until All-Star break to get indicted; 4) Stop letting KATO
KAELIN sleep in the dugout; 3) Two words: Coach Gump; 2) Forget
about Letterman hosting annual awards banquet; 1) Keep the
replacements (CBS, 4/4).

The prospects of a '98 gubernatorial run in Alabama by
"conservative" Suns superstar CHARLES BARKLEY is examined by Gene
Owens of NEWHOUSE NEWS. Owens lists several of Barkley's
"political assets," which on the surface, "seem formidable": He
is an "articulate conservative, a self-described Republican with
exceptional mass-media connections"; his name is a household word
and "he is worth millions." On the other hand, Alabama GOP
leaders, while "intrigued" by Barkley, "can quickly sketch the
downside of his potential candidacy" as he has a "habit of saying
what he thinks -- often in jest and just as often at the wrong
time and in the wrong place" (Portland OREGONIAN, 3/31).